Overhead door



Sept 3, 1940- J. T. s1'. JoHNQJR 2,213,230

OVERHEAD DOOR Q vFiled Dec. 50, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 1 b-,-L-l P-{LT- E L 45 "MH A l I l ll|l l o /4 i J c?? r 4 l j l 7 I 1;/ @IH 5 45 9 h M W1 f 4 Z9 /7 BY Q "2- 5 AT'ToRNEY.

J. T. ST. JOHN. JR

Sept. 3, 1940.

l' OVERHEAD DooR A Filed Dec. so. 1938 FTE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY ATTORNEY l Patented Sept. 3, 194.0

PATENT ortica ovanmnn noon John T. St. John, Jr., Minneapolis,

Minn., as-

signor to John B. Brady, .Washington D. C. Application December 30, 1938, Serial No. 248,595

l whims.

My invention relates broadly to doors and more particularly to a lifting and swinging door particularly adapted for garages.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of lifting and swinging'door for garagesin which minimum clearance is reuired for the installation andoperation of the oor.

Another object of my invention is to provide an m arrangement for suspension of the garage door whereby the mass of the door itself serves to substantially balance the door throughout its path of lifting and swinging movement in combination with spring means for overcoming the weight of 1g the door and facilitating movement of the door to open position. Y

Still another object of my invention is to providea simplified form of mechanism for actuating a lifting and swinging door in which a compressible spring is employed for facilitating the lifting and swinging movement of the door and wherein the spring is enclosed and thus prevented from becoming a source of danger in the event of breakage which has been the case as a result of the-snapping and projecting of .a part of broken spring in doors employing an exposed spring device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of lifting and swinging door mechanism which may be readily adjusted with minimum skill to control the rate of movement of the door.

A still further object o f my invention is to provide a construction of actuator for a lifting and swinging door in which a spring device coacts with a shoe operative over a preformed surface whereby the expansion of the spring device acts upon the shoe which in turn bears upon the preformed surface for exerting a thrust which facilitates the lifting and swinging operation of the door.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of two-point spaced suspension system for a'door structure by which a door structure lmaybe lifted from'a substantially vertical tion to a substantially horizontal position while remaining in a state of balanced equilibri-l um with the movement thereof facilitated by the operation of spring means and without the employment of tracks or guide members adjacent the periphery of the door structure.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in'a door structure which may be manufactured inexpensively on a'. quantity production basis and quickly installed embodying structural (orzo-1s) details set forth more fully in thespeciflcation hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a door structure embodying my invention andillustrated in closed position with reference to the front of a garage, with parts illustrated in elevation, the view being taken on line i-i ofFig. 3; Fig. 2 is a view similar to the view of Figi showing the door in open position; Fig. 1

3 is a horizontal sectional view through the door on line 3--3 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the actuating parts in top plan .vie Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 6 of Fig. 1 with certain of the actuating means illustrated in 15 cross section; Fig. 5 isan enlarged fragmentary view taken through one of the spring mechanisms with certain of theparts shown in elevation, the

view illustrating the position of the spring actuator for a closed position of the door; the view 20 being taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

, Fig. Gis a longitudinal sectional view through the spring actuating mechanism taken substantially on line -S of Fig. 5; Fig. 'l shows a view of the spring actuating mechanism which corresponds 25 to the open position of the lgarage door; Fig. 8 is a ,transverse sectional view taken on' line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a theoretical view showing the relationship of the two-point spaced suspension means for the door with reference to the cam de- 30 vice located at one of the suspension points;

. Fig. 10 is a. similar theoretical view showing the door in the process of movement from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position; and Fig. 11 is a similar theoret- 35 ical view showing the garage door in open position and the position assumed by the suspension means and spring actuating mechanism when the door is in open position. My invention is directed to a construction of 40 garage door which does not require the customary tracks or guides for installation and operation thereof in garages and the like. I have devised a construction of door in which the mass of the door is so distributed with respect to two suspen- 45 sion points adjacent opposite edges of the door that the door is continuously maintained in a state of balanced equilibrium throughout its path of movement from a closed position to an' open position and from an open position to its original 50 closed position. I do not require counterweights ordinarily necessary in garage door structures as the mass of the dooritself is employed as its, own balancing means.` To facilitate the movement ofthe door from a substantially vertical i closed positionl to a substantially horizontal open.

position, I provide a spring actuating coil spring is compressed, thereby storing energy therein which is expended as the door is lifted from a substantially vertical position and moved in a swinging path to a substantially horizontal position, thereby facilitating the opening of the door. The door is readily restored to closed position by swinging the door about the two-point pivotal support adjacent each of the edges thereof. The tension of the coil spring is readily adjustable externally of a closed casing and bY reason of the arrangement of the closedcasing, the coil spring is conned and thus danger arising out of possible breakage or snapping of the spring and the normal'tendency of the'broken spring to be projected as an injurious missile eliminated.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character I designates the door jam or frame within which the lifting and swinging door 2 is arranged to operate. The door frame or jam I including the transversely. extending member 3 may closely conform with the over-all width and heighth of the garage or other structure with respect to which the Alifting and swinging door is mounted. Only a limited space is required for installation of the door as there are no tracks or guideways engageable with the 'peripheral edges of the door. The door is pivotally mounted adjacent opposite edges at two ilxed positions which I have indicated at 4 vand 5. 'Ihe pivotal lmountings 4 are constituted by brackets 6 which :are'secured byvv suitable means indicated generfolly at 1 to the inner edge of the door frame or jam I. Bell crank levers 8 are disposed in opposite positions with respect to each other and have aligned extensions 9 journaled in bracket members IlA adjacent the lower horizontal edge of the door I. The opposite ends of the bell cranks l project as arms II inopposite directions and are joumaled at 4 in brackets 6 as dei scribed. Above the centerline of the door 2 I secure bracket members I2 horizontally aligned adjacent opposite edges of the door. Lever arms I4 have their ends off-set inwardly as represented at is and augned with and pivotauy engaged in the brackets I2 as indicated at I5. 'I'he lever arms I4 are pivotally mounted as heretofore explained at 5. 'I'he pivotal mountings 5 are constituted by pins which project inwardly from V plates I1 suitably secured to the sidewalls of the building structure or garage designated generally at Il. The-inwardly projecting pins are fixed to plates I'I and each are adapted to receive thereon the spacing washers I9 and the apertured end portion 20 of lever arm I4 which is free to Aswing about the pin 5. Another spacing \washer 2| is placed over pin- 5 and bears against the at surface of lever arm I4. A cam-like member 22 is next secured over each of the members 5 and ilxedly keyed with respect thereto by means of key represented at 22.- The radius of curvature of cam-like inem- The spring actuating creases from 4a maximum for the closed ber 22 is constant so that shoe 2l fits the curved surface through its entire path of travel. The axis 5 about which arm I4 pivots is eccentric with respect to the center of curvature of cam-like member 22 so that in effect the cam-like member 22 increases from a relatively long radius indicated at 24 in Fig. 5 to a relatively shorter radius indicated at 25 in Fig. 7. That is to say. the surface of the cam-like member 22 in eifect. tapers from a maximum at the end 22a of the cam-like member 22 to a minimum at the end 22h of the cam-like member 2,2, the radius of curvature being constant. The curved surface of cam-like member 22 provides a guide for the shoe 26 which is pivotally mounted at 2'I on a control rod 28 which is supported with respect to lever member I4 through the screw threaded adjustable sleeve 28. 'I'he screw threaded adjustable sleeve 2l is engaged in the screw threaded end portion 2B of a longitudinally extending casing 2l. The longitudinally extending casing 3| is secured to lever member I4 in any suitable manner such as by a welding process along the junctions 32 indicated the guide member 36 which is secured over the 130 longitudinally extending member 2l which bears against Athe abutment 31 immediately adjacent the end of member 2l to which the shoe 25 is pivotally secured as indicated at 21. Coil spring 34 continuously exerts a thrust against shoe 25 to press shoe 26 against the surface of cam-like member 22. Thus as lever members I4 shift through an acute angle around pivots formed by members 5, spring 34 tends to press shoe 2B'in. wardly toward the surface of cam-like member 22. 'I'his continuously'yielding force establishes a force component which assists in lifting of the door. The shoe 26 nts against the curved surface of cam-like membery 22 under force of spring 24 inasmuch as the radius of curvature of cam-like vmember 22 is constant. Because the axis I about.

which arm I4 pivots is eccentric with respect to the center of curvature of cam-like member 22, the eilective radius of cam-like member 22 deposition of the door to a minimum for the open position of the door. The spring 24 tends to move shoe 28 to its maximum position of projection and in doing so develops a force component which aids in ,the lifting of the door and in the the door to open position indicated in Fig. 11. 'I'he casing or housing 3i is suitably apertured on opposite sides as indicated at 2l to allow the lever member I4 and the associated parts to be swung around the fixed cam-like member 22, the' cam-like member 22 projecting outside of thel side walls of the casing 2| in the course of angular movement of the lever member I4. The casing 2| is spaced from the cam-like member 22 by a washer member I9. When the casing 2l is placed in position. pin v5 projectsv therefrom. A suitable cotter pin 4I may extend through the pin 5 for securing the wall of casing 3| in position. Suitable tension may be applied to coil, spring 24 by adjusting screw threaded sleeve 2l from the exterior of casing 2|, using a suitable tool for this purpose. 1

When the door is swung to closed position, the door may be locked in closed position by means of a suitable lock which I have indicated at 4I iri` swingingof" aaiaa i l Fig. 4 coacting with the jam or door frame I."

The dor is provided with a handle 42 adjacent the lower edge of thefront thereof and another handle k43 on the rear thereof which may be used for swinging the door to closed position. A short length of rope may be attached to handle 43 for pulling the' door from open position to closed position. In order to limit theswinging movement of the door, -I provide stop members Il adjacent the lower edge of the door whichengagve and abut with transversely extending member 45 erected beneath the top jam indicated at 3.

In order `to decrease friction losses, all of the v journals may be provided with ball races and ball Y bearings. The shoe 26 may be replaced with rollers which engage the cam-like .surface of thecam 22 and roll down' the cam surface in ei'ecting an opening operation of the door.

The shape of the guide member 36 is such' that slidable member 28 is continuously centered.

throughout the 'path of movement of 'shoe 25.

While I have represented one alternative manner'of joining casing l3| to lever I4 by a process of welding along sea-ms 32, such methods areonly resorted to where ease of repair is not required, for

^ in all normal installations, casing 3i is detachably secured by bolts 33 to levermember I4 so that the casing is readily removable for making repairs and replacements of parts. A

In certain installations, a certain amount of friction is desirable between shoe 26 and the surface of cam-like member 22 for introducing a suilicientdegree of braking Vforce between shoe `26 and the surface ofcamlike member 22 for` controlling the rate of movement of the door either during the opening operation or during the l closing operation.

While I have descrlbedvmy inventicnein one of its preferred forms which hasV proven highly practical in manufacture, production and use, I desire that it Vbe understood that modiiications may be 'made and I intend no limitations upon my invention other than may be imposed by the scope of 45 the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire secure by l Letters Patent of the United States Yis as follows:-

said ,door to'open position 1. A -door structure comprising in combination with a frame, a door, a pair of lever'membersv located adjacent each opposite edgeof said door, said lever members being pivoted at spaced iixed positions with respect to said door frame and journaled at spaced positions on said door for suspending said door with respect to said door Y frame under-conditions of substantially balanced, equilibrium, guide members located, adjacent the pivotal mounting of certain of said levers, a coil spring carried by said last mentioned lever members, amovable member engaged by each of said coil 'springs and operative against the cam-like portion of the door.

Y located adjacent each opposite edge of `sleeve abutting with Y coil spring and being adjustable from the exterlorbers located adjacent each oppositefedge of said door, said lever members being pivotevcl at spaced xed positions with respect to said door frame aand journaled at spaced positions on said door for suspending said `doorwith respect to said door frame under conditions of substantially balanced equilibrium, guide members located adjacent thepivotal mounting of certain of said levers, a casing .carried by the ends of said last mentioned levers and apertured on opposite sides for the passage of said guide means, a movable member extending longitudinally through said casing, a shoecarried by said movable member and slidably engageable with said guide means,v-

and a coil spring concentrically positioned about said .movable Ymember l for continuously urging said shoein engagement with the surface of said guide members.

3. A door structure comprising in combination with a frame, a door, a pair of lever members saiddoor, said lever members being pivoted at spaced xed positions with respect to said door frame and j journaled at spaced positions on said door for suspending said door withrespect to said door frame under conditions of substantially balanced equilibrium' guide members located adjacent the pivotal mounting of certain of said levers, acasing carried by the ends levers and apertured on opposite sides for the passage of said guide means, a movable member exof said last mentioned tending longitudinally through said casing, a

shoe carried by said movablemember andy slidably engageable with said guide means, a coil spring concentrically positioned .about saidmovable memberf or continuously 'urging said shoe in engagement with the surface of said guide means, and'means slidably positionedA interiorly of said. casingY and'surroundng said' movable member for centering said movable member within said casing throughout the path of travel of the movable member.

4. A door structure comprising in combination with a frame, a doorfa pair of lever members 1ocated adjacent each opposite edge of said, door,

- said lever members being pivoted at spaced iixed -positions withrespect to said door frame and journaled at spaced positions o n said door' for suspending said door with respect to said door frame under conditions of substantially balanced equilibrium., guide members located adjacent the p pivotal mounting of ing carried by the ends levers and apertured on opposite sides' for the passage of said guide means, a movable member extending longitudinally through said casing, a shoe carried vby said movable member and slidably engageable with said guide means, and a screw threaded sleeve extending through said casing and surrounding said movable member, said means engageable with said of said casing for controlling the tension of said coil spring with respect to, said movable member.

A JOHQN 'l'.f ST. JOHN, Jn.

certain of said levers, a casof said last mentioned 

